Vertical asset management device

Abstract

An example asset management device includes an enclosure having an aperture extending across a front plate of the enclosure; a plurality of shelving units; a vertical carousel disposed within the enclosure to support the plurality of shelving units, the vertical carousel having at least one horizontal axis of rotation and configured to rotate about the at least one horizontal axis of rotation to move the shelving units vertically within the enclosure until a selected shelving unit is aligned with the aperture; a door unit removably secured in the aperture, the door unit comprising: a locking element configured to secure the door unit in the aperture; a plurality of doors, each door configured to move between an open position to allow access through a portion of the aperture to a corresponding region of the selected shelving unit and a closed position configured to restrict access through the portion of the aperture.

1 . An asset management device comprising:
 an enclosure having an aperture extending across a front plate of the enclosure;   a plurality of shelving units;   a vertical carousel disposed within the enclosure to support the plurality of shelving units, the vertical carousel having at least one horizontal axis of rotation and configured to rotate about the at least one horizontal axis of rotation to move the shelving units vertically within the enclosure until a selected shelving unit is aligned with the aperture; and   a door unit removably secured in the aperture, the door unit comprising:
 a locking element configured to secure the door unit in the aperture; and 
 a plurality of doors, each door configured to move between an open position to allow access through a portion of the aperture to a corresponding region of the selected shelving unit and a closed position configured to restrict access through the portion of the aperture. 
   
     
     
         2 . The asset management device of  claim 1 , wherein, to move between the open position and the closed position, a free edge of each door is configured to move parallel to a plane of the front plate of the enclosure. 
     
     
         3 . The asset management device of  claim 2 , wherein the free edge of each door is configured to move vertically along the plane of the front plate of the enclosure. 
     
     
         4 . The asset management device of  claim 2 , wherein each door comprises a pan& and an opposing edge of the door is configured to move parallel to the plane of the front plate of the enclosure. 
     
     
         5 . The asset management device of  claim 2 , wherein each door comprises tambour panels and an opposing edge of the door is configured to move along a track. 
     
     
         6 . The asset management device of  claim 1 , wherein each door is configured to limit the portion along a width of the aperture. 
     
     
         7 . The asset management device of  claim 6 , wherein at least one door is further configured to limit the portion along a height of the aperture. 
     
     
         8 . The asset management device of  claim 1 , wherein the shelving units further comprise separators configured to separate regions of the shelving units. 
     
     
         9 . The asset management device of  claim 8 , wherein the separators include one or more horizontal separators and one or more vertical separators. 
     
     
         10 . The asset management device of  claim 1 , wherein each door further comprises a door lock configured to maintain the door in the closed position when the door lock is engaged. 
     
     
         11 . The asset management device of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller interconnected with the carousel and the door unit, wherein the controller is configured to control the carousel to align the selected shelving unit with the aperture and move a selected door to the open position based on an access request. 
     
     
         12 . A method in an asset management device, the method comprising:
 receiving an access request to access the asset management device;   determining a target shelf location based on the access request, the target shelf location including a selected shelving unit of a plurality of shelving units and a region of the selected shelving unit;   controlling a vertical carousel supporting the plurality of shelving units to align the selected shelving unit with an aperture of the asset management device;   identifying one or more doors corresponding to the region of the selected shelving unit; and   enabling the one or more doors to move to an open position to allow access to the region of the selected shelving unit through a portion of the aperture corresponding to the one or more doors.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the access request comprises a storage request, and includes dimensions of an item to be stored; and
 wherein the target shelf location comprises a vacant location capable of accommodating the item based on the dimensions of the item.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising: upon receipt of the item at the target shelf location, identifying the item via one or more of: a barcode reader, a radio frequency identification reader, and an analysis of one or more cameras. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the access request comprises a dispensing request, and includes an identifier of an item to be dispensed; and
 wherein the target shelf location comprises a stored location of the item to be dispensed.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein enabling the one or more doors to move to the open position comprises disengaging a respective door lock of each of the one or more doors. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein enabling the one or more doors to move to the open position comprises controlling the one or more doors to move to the open position. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein a free edge of the one or more doors is moved parallel to a plane of a front plate of the asset management device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein in the open position, the one or more doors are configured to limit the aperture a width or a height of the aperture. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: upon completion of the access request, enabling the one or more doors to move to the closed position.